It was “all feet on deck” Thursday for 8th-grade global studies classes as students learned about the geography of Asia by walking a giant map of the world’s largest and most populous continent.

The 26x41-foot map was in Prep’s gym for the day, courtesy of National Geographic.  Students divided into teams to compete in “find the country” contests and other activities designed by National Geographic to aide student learning about the countries that make up Asia.

Five Prep seniors (10% of the class) have been named National Merit Semifinalists by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) and are now eligible to continue in the competition for some 8,200 scholarships, worth more than $36 million.  This is the second-highest percentage of semifinalists in a senior class for any high school in New Mexico.

Mariam Hale, Jake Harbour, Caitlin Kossman, Grace Penzell and Grey Wilburn were were named semifinalists based on their PSAT scores.  They were among the highest scoring students in New Mexico who took the exam the NMSC uses to screen scholarship program entrants. The nationwide pool of semifinalists represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors.

To become finalists, and possible scholarship winners, the five Prep seniors must maintain an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by the head of school, and earn SAT scores that confirm the students’ earlier performances on the qualifying PSAT test.

NMSC, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 500 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC’s goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.

Members of Prep’s volleyball program are participating in a “Dig Pink” fundraiser on Thursday, October 15th, to benefit breast cancer research and to pack the gym for their games against Pecos.

According to volleyball head coach Diana Ronquillo, a 50/50 raffle and a bake sale are among the activities planned, and the girls will be wearing pink t-shirts during the games to show their support for breast cancer research.  The evening is also a “pack the gym” night, so admission is free for everyone,but are encouraged and will be added to the evening’s proceeds that will be donated to the New Mexico branch of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Prep students will have an opportunity to meet with David Wroblewski, award-winning author of “The Story of Edgar Sawtelle,” when he visits campus on October 9th as part of a multi-state book tour.  Prep is the only high school on his schedule.

The book is Wroblewski’s debut novel.  It spent months on the New York TImes best-seller list and was also an Oprah Book Club selection.  Parents who have read the book are invited to join the discussion at 2:30 pm in the auditorium.